The Miriam Webster dictionary defines art as the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. This definition is very vague because art itself is vague. Modernism taught us to challenge our conception on what can be defined as art with this concept in mind. The conclusion that can be drawn from Modernism (and thus art itself) is that art is subjective. Here are my reasons why video games can be seen as art.
My first experience with video games was watching my older cousin play Star Ocean on Playstation. My mother didn’t let us own a system for the first 10 years of my life, so every time I watched my cousin it was a special treat. He took particular care in not only beating the game, but also engaging all of the side quests to unlock characters. He was obsessive compulsive, so he had a system of fighting that he always used. Star Ocean is a special Role Playing Game where you can move, fight, and deflect attacks at the same time (vs. the stagnant player then computer system of RPG’s such as Final Fantasy). He always attacked three times then healed his players. My cousin playing Star Ocean was art to me.
First, the game itself was art. The amount of graphic design in the digital worlds of Star Ocean seemed like magic to me (and to a certain extent still does). The fact that people could create something so intricate on such a small system was unbelievable. Second, the graphic designers of these games had to interface with three conventional artistic mediums. The first is story, the game has to have a believable and interesting story (with less emphasis on believable.) Second is the landscape, even though video game graphics have improved since then the worlds are still distinct and beautiful. The final form is music. I remember sometimes I would leave his house and have a particular battle song in my head for weeks.
Second, my cousin’s playing of the game was art. Although the game is restrictive (there is literally only so much you can do) he found a way to express his personality through his game play. His focus and dedication to getting all characters and items was impressive, and the way he fought each battle had it’s own distinct rhythm. When he would get frustrated he would jam the buttons hard and throw the controller all around the room. He was entertaining me (although he didn’t know it). When he would finally beat a game his emotions would overwhelm him, the sound of the final credits let me know the performance was over.
There is art in everything if you have an eye for it. That being said, I don’t think that video games are particularly powerful or significant pieces of art.
History
(part 1)
After the Renaissance the next period we see of explosive development in Western art is in the 18th century, or the age of Enlightenment. This was not only a cultural evolution but an intellectual and scientific movement as well. Artists such as Jacques-Louis David combined the enlightenment style with a new emphasis on meaning centering on the enlightened teachers of his peers such as Rousseau. The Enlightenment period stretched into the late 19th century and includes several artistic styles including neoclassicism and impressionism. Artists such as Claude Monet played with the conventional knowledge of God and nature. His exploration into impressionism developed ideas of human perception as limited and inextricably tied to movement. This started the root for later art and it’s exploration of human perspective.
As technology began to expand the perception of Art in the west the 20th century saw the development of many artistic movements, namely: Expressionism, Cubism, Dadaism and surrealism. These new influences can be seen in the effect of African sculpture on Picasso’s work and late impressionism’s reliance on Japanese woodblock printing techniques. The artists of the early 20th century called many presuppositions about the conventional criteria of art into question. Surrealism artists regarded their work as the real depiction of functioning though in the absence of reason’s control. Modern art was expressed in America through the abstract expressionism of Pollock and the pop art of Warhol.
The early 20th century set the scene for the “newest” movement in art, literature and thought known as post-modernism. We are still within the age of post-modernism so it is still hard to define. Post-modernists focus on the idea of human perception and elevate the uniqueness of individual experience and consciousness. Some post-modern movements include New Classicism, post-minimalism and conceptual art.
(Part 2)
After the Renaissance the next period we see of explosive development in Western art is in the 18th century, or the age of Enlightenment. This was not only a cultural evolution but an intellectual and scientific movement as well. Artists such as Jacques-Louis David combined the enlightenment style with a new emphasis on meaning centering on the enlightened teachers of his peers such as Rousseau. The Enlightenment period stretched into the late 19th century and includes several artistic styles including neoclassicism and impressionism. Artists such as Claude Monet played with the conventional knowledge of God and nature. His exploration into impressionism developed ideas of human perception as limited and inextricably tied to movement. This started the root for later art and it’s exploration of human perspective.
As technology began to expand the perception of Art in the west the 20th century saw the development of many artistic movements, namely: Expressionism, Cubism, Dadaism and surrealism. These new influences can be seen in the effect of African sculpture on Picasso’s work and late impressionism’s reliance on Japanese woodblock printing techniques. The artists of the early 20th century called many presuppositions about the conventional criteria of art into question. Surrealism artists regarded their work as the real depiction of functioning though in the absence of reason’s control. Modern art was expressed in America through the abstract expressionism of Pollock and the pop art of Warhol.
The early 20th century set the scene for the “newest” movement in art, literature and thought known as post-modernism. We are still within the age of post-modernism so it is still hard to define. Post-modernists focus on the idea of human perception and elevate the uniqueness of individual experience and consciousness. Some post-modern movements include New Classicism, post-minimalism and conceptual art.
Overview
The Miriam Webster dictionary defines art as the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. This definition is very vague because art itself is vague. Modernism taught us to challenge our conception on what can be defined as art with this concept in mind. The conclusion that can be drawn from Modernism (and thus art itself) is that art is subjective. Here are my reasons why video games can be seen as art.My first experience with video games was watching my older cousin play Star Ocean on Playstation. My mother didn’t let us own a system for the first 10 years of my life, so every time I watched my cousin it was a special treat. He took particular care in not only beating the game, but also engaging all of the side quests to unlock characters. He was obsessive compulsive, so he had a system of fighting that he always used. Star Ocean is a special Role Playing Game where you can move, fight, and deflect attacks at the same time (vs. the stagnant player then computer system of RPG’s such as Final Fantasy). He always attacked three times then healed his players. My cousin playing Star Ocean was art to me.
First, the game itself was art. The amount of graphic design in the digital worlds of Star Ocean seemed like magic to me (and to a certain extent still does). The fact that people could create something so intricate on such a small system was unbelievable. Second, the graphic designers of these games had to interface with three conventional artistic mediums. The first is story, the game has to have a believable and interesting story (with less emphasis on believable.) Second is the landscape, even though video game graphics have improved since then the worlds are still distinct and beautiful. The final form is music. I remember sometimes I would leave his house and have a particular battle song in my head for weeks.
Second, my cousin’s playing of the game was art. Although the game is restrictive (there is literally only so much you can do) he found a way to express his personality through his game play. His focus and dedication to getting all characters and items was impressive, and the way he fought each battle had it’s own distinct rhythm. When he would get frustrated he would jam the buttons hard and throw the controller all around the room. He was entertaining me (although he didn’t know it). When he would finally beat a game his emotions would overwhelm him, the sound of the final credits let me know the performance was over.
There is art in everything if you have an eye for it. That being said, I don’t think that video games are particularly powerful or significant pieces of art.
History
(part 1)After the Renaissance the next period we see of explosive development in Western art is in the 18th century, or the age of Enlightenment. This was not only a cultural evolution but an intellectual and scientific movement as well. Artists such as Jacques-Louis David combined the enlightenment style with a new emphasis on meaning centering on the enlightened teachers of his peers such as Rousseau. The Enlightenment period stretched into the late 19th century and includes several artistic styles including neoclassicism and impressionism. Artists such as Claude Monet played with the conventional knowledge of God and nature. His exploration into impressionism developed ideas of human perception as limited and inextricably tied to movement. This started the root for later art and it’s exploration of human perspective.
As technology began to expand the perception of Art in the west the 20th century saw the development of many artistic movements, namely: Expressionism, Cubism, Dadaism and surrealism. These new influences can be seen in the effect of African sculpture on Picasso’s work and late impressionism’s reliance on Japanese woodblock printing techniques. The artists of the early 20th century called many presuppositions about the conventional criteria of art into question. Surrealism artists regarded their work as the real depiction of functioning though in the absence of reason’s control. Modern art was expressed in America through the abstract expressionism of Pollock and the pop art of Warhol.
The early 20th century set the scene for the “newest” movement in art, literature and thought known as post-modernism. We are still within the age of post-modernism so it is still hard to define. Post-modernists focus on the idea of human perception and elevate the uniqueness of individual experience and consciousness. Some post-modern movements include New Classicism, post-minimalism and conceptual art.
(Part 2)
After the Renaissance the next period we see of explosive development in Western art is in the 18th century, or the age of Enlightenment. This was not only a cultural evolution but an intellectual and scientific movement as well. Artists such as Jacques-Louis David combined the enlightenment style with a new emphasis on meaning centering on the enlightened teachers of his peers such as Rousseau. The Enlightenment period stretched into the late 19th century and includes several artistic styles including neoclassicism and impressionism. Artists such as Claude Monet played with the conventional knowledge of God and nature. His exploration into impressionism developed ideas of human perception as limited and inextricably tied to movement. This started the root for later art and it’s exploration of human perspective.
As technology began to expand the perception of Art in the west the 20th century saw the development of many artistic movements, namely: Expressionism, Cubism, Dadaism and surrealism. These new influences can be seen in the effect of African sculpture on Picasso’s work and late impressionism’s reliance on Japanese woodblock printing techniques. The artists of the early 20th century called many presuppositions about the conventional criteria of art into question. Surrealism artists regarded their work as the real depiction of functioning though in the absence of reason’s control. Modern art was expressed in America through the abstract expressionism of Pollock and the pop art of Warhol.
The early 20th century set the scene for the “newest” movement in art, literature and thought known as post-modernism. We are still within the age of post-modernism so it is still hard to define. Post-modernists focus on the idea of human perception and elevate the uniqueness of individual experience and consciousness. Some post-modern movements include New Classicism, post-minimalism and conceptual art.
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